1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to candle assemblies, and more particularly to candle assemblies including a capillary path disposed between a wick and a support for a fuel charge.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
In many common candle assemblies, melted fuel from a fuel charge surrounding a wick is drawn upwardly through the wick to a burning flame thereon by capillary action. One such candle assembly is a basic taper or pillar candle having a charge of substantially solidified candle wax disposed around and supporting a fibrous wick, such as a cotton string. A flame on the wick melts adjacent candle wax, which is drawn through the wick toward the flame and consumed thereby. As the wax adjacent the flame is consumed, the top portion of the wick is also consumed, and the flame moves downwardly with, or follows, the level of the wax.
Some candle assemblies provide a substantially stationary flame to provide a constant aesthetic or functional configuration. One such candle assembly is a wax fuel charge that is carried within a housing and urged upwardly by a spring toward a stationary wick. The wick is secured through an opening in a cover plate attached to the housing by a metal coil and touches the top of the fuel charge. When the wick is lit above the cover plate, heat is conducted through the coil to melt the top portion of the fuel charge, and the melted wax is drawn up the wick to feed the flame. As the top portion of the fuel charge is consumed, the spring urges the remaining portion of the fuel charge toward the wick to continuously provide fuel thereto until the fuel charge is completely consumed.
Another candle assembly is a container candle having a candlewick holder and a candlewick encased within a fuel charge. The candlewick holder has vertical support member projecting upwardly between opposing horizontal feet members. A lower end of the wick is retained in a ring formed by opposing sides of the vertical support member. The lower end of the wick is spaced from the feet by spacers disposed between the ring and the feet. The feet are disposed on a bottom wall of a container for the fuel charge, and the support member holds the wick upright when the fuel reaches a level of the candlewick holder. A flame on the wick will extinguish when the fuel level is physically lower than the lower end of the wick because the fuel is no longer in contact with the wick.
Other candle assemblies include a wick holder attached to a bottom end of a wick to help retain the wick in a desired position embedded within a solid fuel charge. In one such assembly, the wick extends upwardly from a receiver barrel, which extends upwardly from a base plate of a wick holder. The wick and the wick holder are embedded within a solid fuel charge contained within a can. The base plate rests directly on and is circumferentially encompassed by a top wall of a pedestal, which projects upwardly from a bottom wall of the can. When the level of wax in the candle assembly drops below the top wall of the pedestal, a flame on the wick is extinguished because of a lack of fuel, thereby leaving a pool of unconsumed fuel in the bottom of the can.
In another candle assembly, a wick is carried within a wick holder having a frustoconical peripheral base wall extending downwardly therefrom. A bottom end of the wick is retained within the confines of the peripheral base wall, and a sealant or closure encases the bottom end of the wick to prevent liquid fuel from reaching the bottom end of the wick from underneath the peripheral skirt. A flame on the wick extinguishes automatically when the fuel drops below an exposed portion of the wick due to a lack of fuel.
Yet another candle assembly provides a wax charge contained within a shaped metal can with a wick extending from a top surface of the wax charge to a bottom wall of the can. A dome is formed in the bottom wall, and a dished depression at an apex of the dome receives a wick clip disposed at a bottom end of the wick. A smaller recess in the dish shaped recess is disposed directly under the wick. When the wax is melted at the level of the dish shaped depression, liquefied fuel is drawn under the wick clip into the second smaller depression under the wick to provide a supply of liquefied fuel at a bottom end of the wick. When the top surface of the melted wax falls below the level of the dish shaped recess, a flame on the wick is automatically extinguished due to a lack of fuel supply to the wick, thereby leaving a pool of unconsumed fuel in the bottom of the can.
In yet other candle assemblies, a wick holder for a candle is made of a thermally resistant flame retardant material and has a wick disposed in a bore and spaced above a bottom support surface for a wax fuel element. A frustoconical peripheral skirt extends downwardly from the bore, and the bottom end of the wick terminates in the space surrounded by the peripheral skirt spaced above the bottom support surface. When an upper level of the wax surrounding the wick is burned down to the upper level of the wick holder, the flame is extinguished due to lack of fuel supply and due to the flame retardant material.